Hi, While I agree with Bill that this session should not be closed and most probably would have voted against closing it, I must say that I do not expect any policy to be discussed during the hour. Really I do expect it to be mostly centered around personal discussion of likes/dislikes and trusts/mistrusts. This is not to say that I think it is a good idea to have such a discussion, but neither do I think that democracy will suffer much in the process. a. On 16 Oct 2009, at 15:51, Alex Gakuru wrote: > On Fri, Oct 16, 2009 at 9:29 AM, William Drake > <[log in to unmask]> wrote: >> One might add to this that the council voted, unanimously except >> Mary and I >> (I think Avri was not voting on anything at the time due to a CSG >> attack on >> her for joining NCUC), to have a Sunday morning conclave that will >> closed >> door and off the record. This was framed by proponents as a gripe >> session >> where councilors will be able to vent about our "pet hates" and >> grievances >> against each other. No joke, we're actually doing this. I >> suggested we >> bring a Festivus pole. Maybe Frank Costanza could facilitate. >> Originally >> they wanted to start off the week of collaboration with this on >> Saturday >> morning, so I guess Sunday's a slight improvement. Our biz >> colleagues >> insisted, with a straight face, that it had to be secret inter alia >> because >> of possible legal actions and effects on share prices, and >> suggested calls >> for transparency were just empty rhetoric. > > There won't be any 'irreconcilable differences'? > >> Anyone with a macabre taste for examples of the council's community >> dynamics >> should have a look at the thread called GNSO Meet and Greet >> at http://gnso.icann.org/mailing-lists/archives/council/ >> thrd123.html. It's >> pretty priceless and gives new meaning to bottom up. > > Amazing! > > I never mind "in-camera" of anything, but for no record to exist? > Heard somewhere that "democracy dies behind closed doors" > > >> Cheers, >> Bill >> >> >> On Oct 15, 2009, at 7:41 PM, Robin Gross wrote: >> >> Thanks to Bill for weighing in against this. I was surprised by >> the strong >> reaction of the IPC member who threatens to NOT vote unless she can >> vote in >> secret. >> Now a Commercial Constituency member wants to keep all non- >> counselors silent >> during the weekend sessions in Seoul. >> http://gnso.icann.org/mailing-lists/archives/council/msg07642.html >> Our members have not yet had an opportunity to dialogue on many of >> these >> issues: - they are new, Seoul will be their first meeting, etc. >> The idea >> that we must be kept silent and can only watch the counsel would be a >> terrible precedent to set for the new "reformed" GNSO. These >> meetings have >> been open and allowed for participation from any member of the GNSO >> before >> now, so I hope we don't move in the direction of silencing the >> community who >> is traveling to Seoul (most on their own dime) to work on these >> issues. >> Robin >> >> On Oct 15, 2009, at 9:02 AM, Robin Gross wrote: >> >> I noticed that on the GNSO Council email list, the IP Constituency is >> calling for secret ballots for the chair/vice-chair positions on >> council. >> That is really surprising to me considering how ICANN claims to be >> "open and >> transparent" in its activities. And it is a bit disturbing that >> elected >> representatives in a governance organization are afraid the public >> will know >> how they vote on an issue. I thought when a person is elected to >> represent >> a group of people on policy issues, those people have a right to >> know how >> their elected representatives are voting and handling that >> representation >> given to them by the public. >> What part of open and transparent public governance does the IPC not >> understand? >> >> Best, >> Robin >> >> IP JUSTICE >> Robin Gross, Executive Director >> 1192 Haight Street, San Francisco, CA 94117 USA >> p: +1-415-553-6261 f: +1-415-462-6451 >> w: http://www.ipjustice.org e: [log in to unmask] >> >> >> >> >> >> >> IP JUSTICE >> Robin Gross, Executive Director >> 1192 Haight Street, San Francisco, CA 94117 USA >> p: +1-415-553-6261 f: +1-415-462-6451 >> w: http://www.ipjustice.org e: [log in to unmask] >> >> >> >> *********************************************************** >> William J. Drake >> Senior Associate >> Centre for International Governance >> Graduate Institute of International and >> Development Studies >> Geneva, Switzerland >> [log in to unmask] >> www.graduateinstitute.ch/cig/drake.html >> *********************************************************** >> >> >> >